Breech mechanism.



No. 838,432. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906. J. F. MEIGS & S. A. S fiAMMAR.

BREEGH MECHANISM.

anvzmtow witmaooe o No. 838,432. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906. JLF. MEIGS & SIA. S. HAMMAR.

BREEGH MECHANISM APPLIOATION IILED mum. 1901.

No. 838.432. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

' J. F. MEIGS & s. A. s. HAMMAR.

BREEGH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION TILED JULYZZ, 1901.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 THE NORRIS PETERS cm. WASHINGTON, D, cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. MEIGS, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, AND SIGARD A. S. HAMMAR, OF

BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA. ASSIGNORS TO BETHLEHEM STEEL COM- PANY, OF SOUTH BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PEN N SYLVANIA.

BREECH MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed July 22,1901. Serial No. 69,294.

T 0 all whom, it nuty concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN F. Mares, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bethlehem, and SIGARD A. S. PIAMHAR, a subject of the King of Sweden, residing at Bethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to the firing mechanism of guns; and it consists of a slide and certain firing devices carried thereby and arranged upon the breech-block carrier and operating in connection with the other parts, as fully set forth hereinafter and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 18 a sectional elevation of the breech of a gun and its connected parts, illustrating our invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detached exterior view of the slide. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the form of a slot in the slide. Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating a modified form of support and different connection with the mushroom-stem; Fig. 7', a section of the split nut engaging the stem; Fig. 8, an end view of the nut.

At the breech the gun is provided with the usual pivoted carrier and with the breechblock and mushroom, the stem A of which passes through the breech-block and which is capable of independent free rotation, and said stem has a collar and a support B for the firing and extracting mechanism supported at the upper end by the collared end of the stem, either having a socket open at the top and fitted to said end, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the end of the mushroom-stem will support the support B laterally and longitudinally, or the said support hangs from the stem, as described hereinafter. In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the support is held vertically in place by means of a bolt 29, which connects the lower end to the carrier. This support has an undercut or dovetailed channel to receive the dovetailed part of the slide D, so as to guide the latter to slide vertically in the support. The stem A has a collar 40, and the support B has a socket open at the top and rounded and recessed at the bottom to receive and fit the said collar and the reduced end of the stem forward of said collar. The effect is to hold the parts A B together without interfering with the rotation independently of the part B.

The slide D has a projection 2 to receive a pin 3, thrown forward by a spring 4 and engaging a groove y, Fig. 3, in t e breech-block and operatively connecting the slide thereto. As the breech-block is turned in the direction of its arrow 0. to unlock the breech the pin 3 is depressed, carrying with it the slide D. The slide D has at the top a rearward hollow extension 5 square outside, as shown in Fig.v 3, and circular inside, which extension con tains the firing-spring 6 and the firing-head 7 with a side lug 8, Figs. 2 and 3, and through the head 7 and through a hollow stem 17 extending into said head extends the pint), which is acted upon by the firing-spring to carry it forward to explode the primer 10. The lug 8 protrudes laterally through a slot w in the extension 5, the shape of which slot is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and slides back'in the said slot when the firing-pin is retracted. At the side of the slide D is a casing 30,0ontaining a sliding sleeve 12 and spring 21. The lug 8 has a beveled edge 1), acting on the sleeve 12, which constitutes the soar, and is adapted to move inward in front of the lug 8 and prevent firing until the sear is again drawn outward. On a rod 13, extending through the sleeve or sear 12, is a lug 31, which extends beneath a portion of the sear to draw the latter outward with the rod,

while permitting the sear to move outward independently of the rod.

The firing-pin has a hook 14 for cooking by hand, and it is also cocked automatically as the pin 3 slides outward radially through the groove y when the breech-plug is turned to unlock, which results in drawing down the slide D between the guides 18 18. As the slide descends the lug 8 is brought against the face of an inclinedrib 33 on the outer face of the support B, so that the lug and the head 7 are pushed gradually back until the lug 8 escapes the sear 12,which then moves inward.

When the slide D is lifted, the sear will be in front of the lug 8 and the firing-pin can be released only on drawing out the sear by the rod 13. I v

The firing-pin is square Where it passes port, while the breech-block can turn without rotating the mushroom. When the firing-pin is drawn back by hand, the inclined edge e of the firing-head, Fig. 2, in contact with the edge of the hollow sear, forces the latter back until the lug 8 passes the sear, which is then thrown inward by the spring 21, and the for" ward edge of the lug 8 enters a notch 22 in the sear. After the lug 8 is thus drawn back the sear 12 is thrown inward in front of the edge of the lug 8.

The extractor J consists of a lever, shown pivoted to the support B at 23, and when the slide D is drawn down the lever is swung back. In Fig. 1 a shoulder strikes the tail ofthe lever, while in Fig. 6 a cam 24 makes contact with the tail of the extractor i and throws it open and withdraws the primer. The cam 24 is pivotedto a pin 25, around which is a coiled watch-spring 26, which tends to keep the camin the position shown, a flat face of the cam contacting with 'a flat face of the slide and preventing the cam from turning back on its descent. A spring 27 throws forward the extractor-lever to normal position. When the cam 24 begins to ascend, it makes contact with the tail of the extractor and turns on the pin 25 until it passes the tail of the extractor, when the watch-spring carries it to the position shown. This permits the extractor to come back to place, so that a fresh primermay be inserted before the parts are lifted to normal position. As the extractor is' wholly at the rear of the stem A, it does not interfere with the rotation of the stem independently of the support, as results when the extractor fits a recess in the stem. v

When the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 2 and the firing-pin 9 is drawn back, it operates for mechanical firing with percussive action. If the firing-pin is rotated by hand ninet degrees after first drawing it back to bring the lug 8 above the part 8 of the slot w, the firinghook 14 is turned downward and the lug 8 is also carried downward and is therefore thrown away from proximity to and will not cooperate with the cockingdncline and there can be no automatic cooking of the gun by the turning of the breech-block.

The sleeve 17 of the firing-pin has a shoul- .der 36, permitting a slight sliding movement of the sleeve and pin through the head 7 the spring 6 bearing on a shoulder 37 of the sleeve and also on the head 7 and normally holding the firing-pin away from the primer, but permitting it tobe carried by momentum into contact therewith. This prevents the end of the pin striking the primer to explode it when the slide is carried upward. For electrical firing, however, the pin must proj ect beyond the normal position, so as to insure contact with the primer. To secure this result, the slot w, through which the lug 8 extends, is U-shaped, and the lug S can be drawn back along either horizontal part of it for firing electrically.

Fig. 4 shows the lug 8 in the end of the horizontal part of the slot w for mechanical firing. In electrical firing it is drawn back and then turned down ninety degrees through the part 8 of the slot and then allowed to move forward to the position shown in dotted lines 81, Fig. 4. In this position the point of the firing-pin projects inward farther than when in the position for mechanical firing, so as to insure absolute contact with the primer.

It will be seen that in each construction the stem of the mushroom at the rear and beyond the body of the breech-block supports independently of said block all the parts connected with the firing mechanism,

the support for the latter being hung upon the end of the stem, which stem and also the breech-block can turn independently and without rotating the said support.

Without limiting ourselves to the precise construction of parts shown We claim 1. The combination with the breech mechanism of a gun, of a slide carrying the firing mechanism, and guides stationary upon the breech-block carrier for guiding the slide, a pin projecting from the slide, and a groove in the breech-block adapted to receive said pin to impart movement to the slide to expose the primeropening, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the breech mechanism of a gun, of a slide carrying the firing mechanism, a support for the slide, means for maintaining the position of said support upon the breech-block carrier, a connection between the support and the mushroom-stem permitting the rotation of the latter independ ently of the support, and a pin on the slir e extending into a groove in the breechblock whereby movement is imparted to the slide as the breech-block is turned, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the breech-block carrier, support B, slide D, means for main taining the position of the support, upon the carrier, the breech-block turning independently of the support, a mushroom having a stem connected with but capable of rotating IIO independently of said support, and a pin on the slide entering a groove in the breechblock, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination of the carrier, support, slide, means for maintaining the position of the support upon the carrier, a mushroomstem adapted to turn in said support, firing mechanism carried by the slide, and a pin on the slide engaging the breech-block, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the breech-block, carrier, support B connected therewith and having an incline, a slide movable on the support, a firing-pin carried by the slide, alug connected with the firing-pin adapted to engage said incline whereby to move back the firingpin as the slide is carried away from the primer-opening, and a pin-and-groove connection between the slide and the breech-block, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the breech-block having a groove, the carrier, and the support B connected therewith, of a slide movable on the support and provided with a pin entering said groove, a firing-pin carried by the slide, an incline on the support and a lug connected with the firing-pin whereby to move back the firing-pin as the slide is carried away from the primer-opening, a sear arranged to engage said lug, and means for shifting the sear, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the stationary support and the sear and stationary inclined rib, of a slide 1), a firing-head carried thereby and provided with a lug for engaging the sear and rib, a firing-pin having a stem sliding in and turning with the head, springs between the head and a shoulder on the slide, and. a pinand-groove bearing between the SllC e and the breech-block, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination with the slide D having a U-shaped slot, one part longer than the other, a firing-head having a lug extending into said slot, and a firing-pin sliding in and turning with the firing-head, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination with the slide D hav-' ing a U-shaped slot, one part longer than the other, a firing-head having a lug extending into said. slot, a firing-pin sliding in and turning with the firing-head, and a sear arranged to engage the lug when in the upper part of the slot, substantially as set forth.

10. In a firing mechanism for guns, the combination of a firing-pin, a spring for carrying it inward to explode a primer mechanically, means for limiting the normal inward position of the pin for mechanical firing, and

means for permitting the pin to pass farther inward for electrical firing, substantially as set forth.

1 1. The combination with the breech mechanism of a gun, of a firing-pin, an actuatingspring, a firing-head connected to rotate with the firing-pin, the latter having a sliding movement in said head, a lug projecting from the firing-head, and bearings for the said lug limiting the forward movement of the head in different positions, substantially as set forth. 12. The combination with a firing-pin, and its actuatingspring, therefor arranged to define different inward movements of the pin when turned to different positions, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination in a firing mechanism of a firingpin, a firing-head in which the said pin is longitudinally movable, and means whereby to limit the forward movements of the firing-head to permit the pin and head to move to a greaterextent in firing electrically than in firing percussively.

14. The combination 7 with the breechblock and mushroom having a collared stem and capable of independent rotation, of a firing-gear support, and a divided nut fitted to said stem and to the threaded socket of the support, for the purpose set forth.

15. The combination with the mushroom of a breech mechanism, of a firing-gear support, and a swiveled connection between the mushroom and said support beyond the rear of the breech-block, whereby to permit the block and mushroom to turn independently of the support.

16. A breech mechanism having a mushroom and stem, a support for the firing-gear supported laterally and longitud inally by the mushroom-stem, and a breech-block rotatable independently of said support.

17. A breech mechanism having a mushroom and stem, a support for the firing-gear supported; laterally an 1 longituiinally by the .mushroom-stem, and an extractor on the support, the mushroom rotatable independently of the said support and the extractor.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN F. MEIGS. SIGARD A. S. HAMMAR.

Witnesses as to the signature of John F. Meigs:

H. M. GILLMAN,J1., W. CLARENCE DUVALL.

Witnesses as to the signature of Sigard A. S. Hammar:

CHARLES E. SUTER, W. CLARENCE DUVALL.

of a lug, and bearings 

